Country awaits President's decision on proposed laws

President Mary McAleese is expected to decide today whether to refer two new laws dealing with gangland criminals and blasphemy to the Supreme Court.

Ms McAleese held a meeting with the Council of State last night at Aras an Uachtaráin to discuss the legality of the legislation rather than simply signing them into law.

The two Bills being questioned are the Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill 2009 and the Defamation Bill 2006, which were rushed through the Oireachtas in the weeks before the summer recess.

The Council of State is a 22-member team made up of the most senior serving and former office-holders in the country which advises the president on whether a law is constitutional.

However, the president alone will make the decision on whether to refer the legislation to the Supreme Court and is expected to make a statement this morning.

Both Bills have caused massive controversy with more than 130 lawyers writing a public letter demanding the Criminal Justice Bill be withdrawn, claiming Ireland would be shamed by it in the eyes of the international community.

It allows for gangland suspects to be tried in the non-jury Special Criminal Court and paves the way for “opinion evidence” from Garda members to be used in court.

Meanwhile, the Defamation Bill, which reforms the State’s libel laws, provoked an outcry over its inclusion of a charge of blasphemous libel.